Planning
How many helpers?
Start with the lift.
Choose moving help by weight, access and your own ability to carry. See why a small load may still need more than one person.
Choose the number of movers by what needs to be lifted safely, the access and whether you can help. A single awkward sofa may require more people than many light boxes. There is no reliable rule that assigns a crew size just from the number of rooms.
The essentials, in brief.
- Start with the heaviest or awkward item.
- Count confirmed helpers at both ends.
- Describe stairs and narrow turns.
01 · Begin with the hardest item
Begin with the hardest item
Tell support about large dimensions, known weight, delicate surfaces and parts that can be removed. A sofa bed and a lightweight sofa may be the same length but very different lifting tasks.
Photograph difficult passages as well as the item. More hands cannot make a piece of furniture fit through a doorway, and some stairs do not leave enough room for extra people to help effectively.
02 · Be clear about your own contribution
Be clear about your own contribution
If you book driving only, you and your helpers load and unload. With driver carrying assistance, the driver helps with the lifting. If you cannot lift furniture yourself, explain that so the booked team can handle the work without relying on you.
Count only people who have agreed to help at the relevant address. A seller may open the door but refuse to carry; a friend available in the morning may not be there for unloading later.
03 · Describe the whole route through the buildings
Describe the whole route through the buildings
Include floors, lift dimensions if relevant, narrow turns and the distance from parking to the entrance. A lift that takes boxes but not the sofa only solves part of the job.
A larger team has a different tariff and may finish sooner, but it is not automatically cheaper. Compare suitable service choices using the current tariffs, the likely work and the applicable minimum time.
04 · What if there are too few people on the day?
What if there are too few people on the day?
Contact support rather than expecting an unsafe lift or unbooked carrying service. Additional helpers may be possible, but availability is not guaranteed. A changed service may require a different booking.
The team can only move what it can handle safely with the people and access available. Identify the difficult items before arrival so they do not become an unresolved task while the rest of the move is underway.
Ready for moving day?
One final review.
- Start with the heaviest or awkward item.
- Count confirmed helpers at both ends.
- Describe stairs and narrow turns.
- Ask support before changing the service.
Have a good move — and a good start at your new address.
Back to the blog
